[Linenotes: 2563 _oon_--o 2564 _letteþ_--let 2566 _faire_--fayr 2567 _porisme_--MS. pousme, C. porisme 2572 [_þat_]--from C. 2573 _maner_--maner{e} _by_--be 2574 [_of_]--from C. 2575 _swyche_--swych 2576 _oþer_--oothr{e} 2577 _seyne_--seyn 2578 _chief_--chef 2581 _goode ȝis_--good ys 2582 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good 2583 _goode_--good 2585 _self_--selue 2588 _þise_--C. omits _seyne_--seyn 2589 _oþer_--oothre] [Headnote: GOOD, THE RULE AND SQUARE OF THINGS DESIRABLE.] [Sidenote: _B._ I see what you are aiming at, and I am desirous to hear your arguments.] b. I vndirstonde wel q{uo}d .I. what þou p{ur}posest to [[pg 93]] seke. but I desijr[e] to herkene þat þou shewe it me. 2593 [Sidenote: _P._ If all these things were members of felicity, they would differ one from another, for it is the property of diverse parts to compose one body.] _p._ Take now þus þe discressiou{n} of þis questiou{n} q{uo}d she. yif al þise þinges q{uo}d she weren membris to felicite. þan weren þei diu{er}se þat oon fro þat oþer. 2596 ¶ And swiche is þe nat{ur}e of p{ar}ties or of membris. þat dyuerse me{m}bris compounen a body. [Sidenote: But it has been well shown that all these things are the same and do not differ--therefore they are not parts, for if they were, happiness might be made up of one member--which is absurd and impossible.] ¶ Certis q{uo}d I it haþ wel ben shewed her byforne. þat alle þise þinges ben alle on þing. þan ben þei none membris q{uo}d 2600 she. [Sidenote: [* fol. 22.]] for ellys it sholde seme þat blisfulnesse were conioigned *al of one membre alone. but þat is a þi{n}g þat may nat ben doon. [Sidenote: _B._ This I doubt not, but I desire to hear the sequel.] þis þing q{uo}d .I. nys nat doutous. but I abide to herkene þe remenaunt of þe 2604 questiou{n}. [Sidenote: _P._ All the things above-mentioned must be tried by Good, as the rule and square.] þis is ope{n} {and} clere q{uo}d she. þat alle oþer þinges ben referred {and} brouȝt to goode. [Sidenote: Sufficiency, power, &c., are all desired, because they are esteemed a good.] ¶ For þerfore is suffisaunce requered. For it is demed to ben good. {and} forþi is power requered. for men trowen also 2608 þat it be goode. and þis same þing mowe we þinken {and} coueiten of reuerence {and} of noblesse {and} of delit. [Sidenote: Good is the cause why all things are desired.] þan is souereyne good þe soume {and} þe cause of alle þat auȝt[e] be desired. [Sidenote: For that which contains no good, either in reality or appearance, can never be desired.]